Teenagers who vandalised church may escape prosecution after mothers forced them to apologise to congregation

Two teenagers who caused £1,000 worth of damage to a 14th-Century church could have charges against them dropped after their mothers ordered them to stand up in front of the congregation and read out a five-minute apology.

The 15-year-old vandals, who live in the village, told a 50-strong congregation that they were sorry for breaking into the historic building and causing havoc with two fire extinguishers.

Church officials said the damage was so extensive that it looked like a natural disaster.

The church was covered in powder after the teenagers let off two fire extinguishers

It took a team of four professional cleaners using specialist equipment an entire week to finish the clean-up operation - and left the congregation without a church during Christian Unity Week.

But in return for the pair's 'brave and nerve-wracking' penance, the Reverend Dr Donald McFadyen, of Bassingbourn Parish Church in Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, asked local police to call a halt to their investigation.

He said: 'It was probably about the hardest thing that anybody could be asked to do. They both stood up there on their own and read out a statement which basically said they were very sorry for what they had done.

'The congregation unhesitatingly accepted their apology. I led the church in saying together "We forgive you".

'Asking forgiveness and being forgiven is woven into how human beings live together. It is central to the Christian faith.'

The vandalism took place following the Sunday service on January 18 when a group of six teenagers let themselves into the church, which is unlocked during daylight hours.

Once inside, they set off the fire extinguishers which coated the entire church in a pale pink talcum powder.

Rev Dr Donald McFadyen, pictured sitting in the cleaned-up church, said after the boys' 'brave' apology the congregation immediately forgave them

Dr McFayden said: 'It looked like some kind of dust bomb had gone off. At first we even thought the roof had fallen in.

'The powder was still in the air when my neighbour first arrived. She said it was like walking into a dust storm.

'It was a massive task. They had to wipe down every pew, every Bible, every candlestick.

'The font and the alter were covered in powder and the curtains and rugs all had to be laundered.'

A parishioner recognised one of the youngsters as they fled the scene and told Dr McFayden who in turn reported them to their furious parents.

The two boys who set off the fire extinguishers were dragged before the congregation, while the other four have been dealt with by their parents.

Dr McFayden said: 'To his credit the boy who was spotted owned up straight away.

'Thankfully the parents immediately said this is not on and the church was one of the worst possible places to do something like that. They were really angry and embarrassed.'

The boys offered to help with the cleaning and pay the insurance excess of £250 before being marched down to the church on Sunday to make a very public plea for forgiveness.

Parishioner Sue Simpson said it was a moving moment that restored residents' faith in young people.

She said: 'It showed great courage and responsibility from the families concerned and I hope as a church we responded with grace.

'I think they may have been surprised by the warmth of the welcome they received after they apologised.'

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire Police confirmed that Bassingbourn Parish Church had asked for charges to be dropped after initially reporting the crime.

But she said the case against them was not fully closed.

She said: 'Unfortunately it is not their decision to drop charges. At the end of the day more than £1000 worth of damage was caused to the church.

'Once a crime is reported police cannot stop investigating just because someone asks us to. We are in the process of deciding what will happen next.'

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Mothers make teenagers who vandalised church apologise in front of congregation